Sustainability Action is the symbol of sustainability for NHSScotland
Everyone has a part to play in tackling the climate emergency whether as an individual, a team or a department.
There is so much positive work already going on across NHSScotland to help make the organisation more environmentally sustainable whilst also helping to maintain high levels of patient care.
“Sustainability Action” is the symbol of sustainability for NHSScotland and should be used to showcase all the work that is being carried out to help NHS Scotland become more environmentally sustainable while meeting its ambition of becoming a net zero organisation.
It should be used to support and promote staff behaviour change activities that contribute to delivering sustainability across all parts of the NHS: from public health, management, allied health professionals, pharmacy, research, the ambulance service, dental teams, doctors and our frontline clinical staff to the wider healthcare communities.
‘Sustainability Action’ aims to:
- Build awareness and understanding of sustainability through demonstrating and highlighting the sustainable actions that all NHSScotland staff can take
- Raise the profile and importance of sustainability within NHSScotland
- Connect and contextualise all sustainability topics and actions
- Underpin all sustainability-related communications across NHSScotland
How Will It Be used?
‘Sustainability Action’ has been developed to promote awareness of sustainability within the NHS in Scotland, and to demonstrate its importance for all of us.
It can be used for sustainability-related change programmes focusing on targeted behaviours both within individual Boards and nationally.
It will therefore underpin a range of specific programmes of activity around topics such as:
- Waste and recycling
- Energy use
- Active travel
- Use of greenspace
- Adaptation to climate change
- Environmental Management Systems
- Community engagement
There should be co-ordinated programmes to encourage staff to act sustainably. Promotional activities will help raise awareness of the importance of these actions, but these will need to be supported ‘on the ground’ with other activities.
All actions, whether big or small, can make a positive difference to our NHS, our people and our planet. Local action will contribute to global outcomes by helping NHS Scotland to meet their targets and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Who Can Use It?
Anyone within NHSScotland working on a sustainability-related topic or wanting to promote change can use this brand to promote their activities. That means anyone from any department or executive Board promoting a Board-wide programme, through to a small clinical team in a ward encouraging sustainable staff behaviours.
Is Support Available?
Support is available to those promoting and managing these programmes and a range of resources are available by contacting nss.sustainabilityscotland@nhs.scot